Understanding the Stages of Prostate Cancer

TNM and Gleason Staging to Determine Prostate Cancer Prognosis

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths of older males, usually occurring between the ages of 65 and 75 years. Unfortunately, the complexity of prostate cancer is difficult to understand without accurately determining where the tumor cells are and the extent to which they have spread outside the prostate gland. Doctors use a classification known as staging to understand the stages of prostate cancer and to gauge the degree of its growth and spread (National Cancer Institute) [1].

PROSTATE CANCER PROGNOSIS

Every type of prostate cancer is different. Therefore, understanding the current stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis is crucial in determining further prognosis (the progression of the disease and whether there is a chance of recovery).

THE WAYS PROSTATE CANCER SPREADS IN THE BODY

There are three ways the cancer may spread. The cancer can invade normal surrounding tissue, travel through the lymph vessels, and it can also travel through the blood via the veins and capillaries to affect other parts of the body.

Cancer cells within the primary tumor (in the prostate gland) can break away from the initial site and cause a secondary tumor to form. This is known as metastasis and it is what makes prostate cancer and other cancers so difficult to treat. It is important to know that the secondary tumor, despite not being in the prostate gland, is composed entirely of prostate cancer cells. Therefore, it will be called metastatic prostate cancer.

THE TNM SYSTEM OF PROSTATE CANCER STAGING

Pathologists primarily use the TNM System (Tumor, Nodes, Metastasis) for diagnosing the current stage of prostate cancer and predicting future prognosis (Robbins Basic Pathology, 7^th Edition) [2].